Happy 250th, America!
America is turning 250 tomorrow, and I’ve noticed how easy it is for some to take this country for granted.
Ironically, it took a happy hoard of World Cup superfans from around the globe to remind us all how special the idea of America, and the abundance that idea produces, really is. Maybe you’ve read about the Scottish Tartan Army, or Freddy from Germany, and how eagerly they imbibe in unchecked American flourishing. They are all seeing my home with fresh eyes, and I’m loving it. They marvel at the size of an average American home—bigger than most houses they’ve ever seen—our air conditioning, and the vast quantities of ice for beverages. Appropriately, visiting soccer superfans eventually discovered Buc-ee’s in Texas, where 120 separate gas pumps, great Lone Star brisket, and a 40-ounce beverage turn a simple idea—freedom—into transcendent happiness. If you haven’t been to one of these Texas-sized “fuel stations” yet, they run bigger than many of the villages we’ve been to in Europe.
Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to remind us how extraordinary America really is. We live in a place so prosperous, innovative, and free that we’ve become accustomed to the very things that astonish much of the world.
Of course, America has its problems. Or, more accurately, our government creates new problems for Americans every day. It has grown too big, and wages too many wars both foreign and domestic. Our national debt is staggering, and inflation steals the purchasing power of the working class. Too many people in positions of power seem eager to manage our lives, and line their pockets, rather than trust free people to make their own decisions.
Matt and I are unabashedly patriotic. We love America. But we don’t trust the government. Because we love America.
These self-evident truths animate one of my favorite Free the People documentaries: The Free Life: Portrait of Artist. In it, Carlos Luna tells his hero’s journey, sacrificing everything to come to America to find his free life. He sees what I see in America, but through the fresh eyes of someone who grew up under the tyranny of government-induced poverty: “I believe this is a free country. I never felt free until I lived here. I understand the country has problems. What country doesn’t? But if you ask me what other country should I live, I reply, USA. This is my home.”
At Free the People, that’s the story we’re committed to telling. We reach people who may never read a policy paper or attend a political event, but who can still be inspired by the enduring power of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Matt and I just braved the 100-degree heat to walk down to the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Lots of happy people, despite the weather. Matt was wearing his brand new Free the People-designed ‘America F**k Yeah!’ shirt and got tons of compliments. He even sold one on the spot! You can get yours here. Wear it, loud and proud, like an American.
Happy 250th, America!
